Main Street: Open for Business, awards $6.7M to stimulate downtown investment

Center and San Luis receive money from the program

DENVER — The Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) is supporting efforts by local governments to engage in small business relief through the Main Street: Open for Business (MSOB) program. Two San Luis Valley communities — Center and San Luis — received funding from MSOB.

“This once-in-a-generation opportunity to keep Colorado’s main streets open for business provides transformational funding now and into the future,” said DOLA Executive Director Rick M. Garcia. “Along with our partners, we are in a unique position to collectively champion community vision and build steppingstones to business and community recovery.”

MSOB supports façade improvements and energy efficiency projects for businesses in the state’s traditional downtowns with funding set aside by Senate Bill 21-252 for the Colorado Main Street program. The initiative is designed to increase sales and revenue for rehabilitated buildings, reduce energy consumption and lower utility bills, and create jobs while retaining existing ones.

A general grant round open to all municipalities, counties and councils of government across Colorado prioritized communities with multiple projects to improve visual appeal and provide a catalytic ripple-effect of investment in their downtown districts:

  • The Town of Center was awarded $114,588 to improve five buildings, four of which house traditionally disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs). Projects range from a new sign at the carniceria to lighting upgrades at the grocery store.
  • The Town of San Luis was awarded $560,722 to invest in five key businesses all owned by minorities and women including the R&R Market, the state’s oldest family-run business dating back to 1857. Fresh paint, new signs, windows, doors, exterior lighting and energy efficiency improvements will provide the oldest downtown in Colorado with a facelift.

    • Central City was awarded $327,727 to support new businesses in three buildings, including the second-oldest property in this historic town, with energy-efficiency upgrades and façade improvements. The city is heavily reliant on the gaming industry, which experienced severe losses during closures in 2020.
  • The Town of Flagler was awarded $146,135 for façade and energy improvements on three buildings, including the historic Flagler Theatre. Located on the Eastern Plains, Flager has a population of just 700 with an average income of $27,500.
  • The Town of Granby was awarded $757,140 for energy-efficiency upgrades, façade improvements and ADA accessibility on 11 buildings, after suffering the impacts of regional wildfires in 2020 in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The Town of Grand Lake was awarded $958,782 for projects ranging from adding energy efficient HVAC units to paint and stain on 23 buildings including 15 DBEs, in an area also ravaged by wildfires in addition to COVID-19.
  • The Town of Hugo was awarded $602,169 for a complete renewal of their small downtown, with 11 buildings containing 11 DBEs. Improvements include Increased energy-efficiency with new storefront windows and doors, new decorative awnings, and new signage that will make businesses more visible from State Highway 287.
  • The City of La Junta was awarded $391,566 to improve six buildings, which includes doubling the retail space of one business by reclaiming an attractive storefront, and the restoration of the iconic Fox Theatre.
  • The Town of Mancos was awarded $457,333 for six buildings, five of which are home to woman-owned businesses. Others include a historic opera house, and full rehabilitation of commercial storefronts to serve as a performance venue and event retail space.
  • The Town of Rangely was awarded $53,126 for improvement to the aesthetic of the downtown automotive care center and better signage to attract more business on the western edge of the state.
  • The Town of Silverton was awarded $612,849 to help preserve eight buildings through façade improvements, while looking toward the future of this National Historic District with a number of energy efficiency upgrades including windows and solar panels.
  • The Town of Wellington was awarded $569,626 for painting, awnings, windows, brick repair, roof replacements, new signage and energy efficiency upgrades to 11 buildings in hopes to attract more of its growing population to downtown.
  • Town of Windsor was awarded $392,660 to improve the aesthetics of four buildings downtown including the removal of false fronts, seeking to increase foot traffic in the historic downtown Main Street.

In addition to the general MSOB grant awards outlined above, $750,000 was set aside for an even split between three Heritage Energy Pilot Projects, competitively selected by an interagency team in January 2021. The goals of this initiative align with those provided by MSOB, including historic preservation and upgraded energy efficiency. Those awardees are:

• City of Leadville: Herald Democrat Building

  • Town of Ridgway: Bank Building
  • City of Trinidad: Fox West Theatre

These larger-scale holistic projects seek to integrate existing resources such as historic tax credits, History Colorado State Historical Fund grants, Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing, and Energy Performance Contracting through an interagency partnership of the Colorado Energy Office and History Colorado’s State Historic Preservation Office. MSOB funding was an unexpected and welcome addition to these projects’ incentive mix, helping demonstrate the power of reinvestment for more vibrant Main Street districts, greater economic resilience, healthier living and better working environments in Colorado.

“We anticipate increased sales of 20 percent for those businesses getting facade improvements, and decreased utility costs and carbon footprint for those completing energy-efficiency upgrades,” added DOLA Local Government Director Chantal Unfug.